Team Korea formed to develop mRNA vaccine for complete self-sufficiency by next yr
South Korea’s three leading
pharmaceutical companies have joined a state-led project on development of
home-grown mRNA vaccine strong enough to tackle variants and ensure
self-sufficient supplies for the entire 50 million population.
On Tuesday, Hanmi Pharmaceutical,
ST Pharm and GC Pharma launched a consortium for the development of
next-generation mRNA vaccine platform technology under the sponsorship of the
from Korea Innovative Medicines Consortium (KIMCo), according to the Ministry
of Health and Welfare and the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers
Association (KPBMA).
The project aims to leverage the
strengths of each company to secure mRNA-based vaccine technology and build a
large-scale production system, paving the way for independent vaccine supply at
home and potential delivery overseas. KIMCo, an industry association of 56
local pharma and biotech firms and the KPBMA will oversee and coordinate the
project development.
The consortium’s immediate target
is to produce 100 million doses of the vaccine by next year to have two jabs
available for the entire population for protection from Covid-19. It will
establish a mass-scale production system of the vaccine by 2023 and export the
remainder doses. As a longer-term, the consortium will proceed with development
of cancer vaccines and novel therapies based on the mRNA vaccine platform by
2025.
The three companies agreed to invest more than 700 billion won in total in clinical trials, key materials production, and facility establishment.
출처: Maeil Business